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Wednesday, November 2, 2016

I loved it so much as a girl that when I was just nine years old my mother taught me how to make a simple four ingredient custard using the classic red and white gingham Better Homes and Garden cookbook. I learned pretty quick how to make it all by myself and loved that I could whip up one of my favorite treats all on my own. It's still one of my favorite recipes. Since my nine-year-old baking days I've branched out a little with my custard recipes. One of the favorites around our home now is this Pumpkin Pie Custard. I usually make up a double batch every week. My kids love to eat it as a morning snack and this past summer we found we loved the leftover custard in the fridge for a quick and easy breakfast. I love the pumpkin flavor blended with that classic eggy-custardy flavor. It's the perfect combination

This recipe is easy to whip together, the kids love it, and it's full of good for you ingredients. You really can't go wrong with this one!

Friday, June 24, 2016

I'm sure we all know how it is when we're traveling . . . we load up on snacks and junk food. This year I'm trying to leave out the junk and have come up with some easy healthy snacks to take along with us on the road.

Blue Diamond almonds -- We're a peanut free home and that's why we love Blue Diamond almonds. They're one of the few nuts that are completely peanut free. They're also packed full of vitamins and minerals and are high in protein. They make a great salty snack and my kids LOVE 'em.

Dried fruit -- This is what we call "real fruit snacks". We like raisins, craisins and apricots but we love dried mangos and pineapple.

Bite sized fruit -- Grapes and blueberries are great for the car. They can be popped in your mouth and are mess free--well, depending on who's

eating them . . .

Carrot sticks -- We can't forget the vegetables--and mini carrots are always a popular choice.

Crackers -- I've always loved Annie's Homegrown and we've recently become fans of the new Annie's Snack Mix. The kids love it, and I love that it's all natural and organic. The best part is that it's very affordable too. I stock up on boxes of this stuff when they go on sale at Target for $2. That's a price you can't beat!

Homemade fruit gummies -- These little jello bites are perfect for popping in your mouth. They're sweet and tangy and have a little fat to keep you feeling satisfied. My favorite recipes are these Lemon Gummies and these Coconut Lime Gummies. They're simple enough to make ahead of time and a fun snack to pull out when everyone is in need of a treat.

Granola bar bites -- This is another great snack to make ahead of time (or have the kids make them) to pull out when you're getting the munchies. Find the recipe here.

. . . But you have to have a little junk food too. My kids already know we never go on a trip without licorice. Yum Earth is our favorite brand lately.

Monday, April 11, 2016

I'm always on the search for healthy desserts and nutrient dense snacks that will fill my kids hungry tummies right up. This recipe fits the bill for both. These pumpkin bars by themselves make a great snack but by adding a few chocolate chips to the recipe I've tricked my kids into thinking they're now dessert. Personally my favorite way to eat them is by ditching the chocolate chips and sprinkling a few chopped pecans on top. Sometimes I will even sprinkle three-fourths of the pan with chocolate chips and the other quarter with pecans so everyone is happy.

Not only are these pumpkin bars easy to whip together and free of refined sugar but they taste amazing! They are so moist and light they practically melt in your mouth. There's no reason to wait until fall to make these dreamy bars. They are the perfect treat any time of year.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

We're in crazy special diet mode at our house right now trying to heal some food intolerance. Between my four kids there's at least one of them who can't have peanuts, gluten, dairy, and eggs. This makes it tricky when trying to cook for a family of six. There's always someone who can't eat something, or so it seems. Luckily I've been able to track down some recipes that fit the bill for everyone. These Chocolate Chip Cookies are a hit and have become a favorite treat. They are grain-free, egg-free, Paleo, refined sugar free, and GAPS friendly. I love that the ingredients are simple and can be whipped together in minutes.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Our summers here are hot, sweaty and sticky. Yuck! That's one thing this California raised girl dislikes most about the mid-west -- humidity! I depend heavily on cool treats to help me get through the hot summers. These dark chocolate fudgesicles have become one of my favorites. We make a lot of homemade popsicles and I've found a lot of them turn out icy. The secret ingredient to keeping these popsicles smooth and soft is gelatin! It's amazing the difference a little gelatin can make. Go ahead and give these a try. I just know you'll the the rich chocolaty flavor and the smooth creamy texture.

2. Warm the coconut milk in a pot over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stir occasionally and do not let boil. Meanwhile mix the egg yolk, honey, and salt in a small bowl. Slowly poor the hot coconut milk into the egg mixture, mixing continuously to temper the eggs.

3. Pour the mixture back into the pot and continue to cook on medium heat for about five minutes, stirring constantly. Do not allow the mixture to boil.

4. Pour the gelatin mixture into the pot and whisk vigorously until the gelatin has dissolved, about two minutes.

5. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until melted and smooth. Let pudding cool at room temperature about 20 minutes and then pour into molds. Place in freezer for up to six hours or until firm.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

I've been feeding my family a gluten free diet since January per doctors orders for my three year old. It was kind of a stressful transition but now that we have the hang of it it's really not a big deal. I've been having fun trying some new recipes and discovering a new way to cook. I ran into a chocolate cake recipe on Mel's Kitchen Cafe that was gluten free and made out of quinoa. The recipe had rave reviews, and since I was curious about making a cake out of quinoa I had to try it. That was a good choice. It was delicious. Moist. Flavorful. I was worried I would take a bite and it would be full of chewy bits of quinoa but the truth is you don't even know it's in there--in texture or flavor. Really this recipe is a dream come true whether your eating gluten free or just love delicious chocolate cake. I've made this recipe several times and have had success making it into an 8 inch cake, cupcakes, and mini cupcakes.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Sometimes I think my mom and oldest daughter are identical twins fifty years apart. My daughter is like a mini-me of my mother. My daughter is very smart. She is studious and does very well in school. Teachers love her. She is also very mature for her age. I've often said she was born grown up. She's super helpful and responsible around our home. I don't know what I would do without all her help. It's been a lifesaver on more than one occasion. I know all those things could have been said about my mother as a child too. The other day when I saw my daughter stack all her clean laundry up on her head and across her arms so that she could take it to her room to put away all in one trip I had to laugh because I heard stories of my mother doing that same thing as a child. They are both the oldest children in their family. They both play the piano very well. They both don't care for chocolate. They both love lemon. I could go on and on. I dedicate these lemon bars to them.

These are not your typical lemon bars. The filling is extra tart, but not overly so. The sweet nutty crust helps balance out the tart filling and is subtly crunchy and textured. I'd say these are like your typical lemon bars all grown up. They are for mature taste buds, delicious, and leave you feeling satisfied after just one bar.

Lemon Lover Lemon Bars

nourishing-bites.blogspot.com

For crust:

1 cup raw pecans

1/4 cup organic coconut oil

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon coconut flour

1 egg

For lemon topping:

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 medium lemons)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup coconut oil

dash sea salt

3 eggs

Instruction for the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Pulse pecans in food processor until finely ground. Do not over mix or you'll end up with pecan butter.

4. Line a 8x8 glass dish with parchment paper and spread your mixture evenly on the bottom of dish, pressing down with the back of a fork to make it nice and compact.

5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges turn a light golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Instruction for the filling:

1. In a small sauce pan whisk together lemon juice, honey, coconut oil, and salt until well combined and warm.

2. In a medium bowl crack eggs, and whisk together with a fork. To temper the eggs slowly pour a 1/2 cup of the lemon mixture into the eggs while mixing briskly. Add egg mixture back to pan. Whisk together over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts to boil and thickens. Continue to stir for one minute more. Once filling is nice and thick remove from heat and let cool.

3. Once cool spread the topping over the crust. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to set up in fridge for four hours before serving.

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Welcome to my brand new blog. I'm Amy and I love food. The healthy kind. This site is a collection of my tried and true recipes. Be sure to check back often, subscribe below, or follow on facebook since I'll be adding my favorites a little at a time.